New World: The mosteses ‘Greenestes city’ ever!!!

Green. Greener. Greenest.

Mayor Phil Gordon is aiming straight for the top in his ambitious call to make Phoenix the greenest city in the nation.

And why not?

The strategies that create an environmentally sound place – from expanding solar power to using water more efficiently – fit right into the region’s strengths and needs.

In his State of the City address last Wednesday, Gordon laid out a 17-point plan developed in conjunction with Arizona State University’s Global Institute of Sustainability.

The Green Phoenix proposal is, as one city staffer put it, “breathtaking in its scope.”

Create a solar power plant on a landfill. Collect and reuse water from air-conditioning condensation. Convert outside city lighting to super-efficient LED. Promote community gardens. Train unemployed workers to rehabilitate inefficient homes. Use unconventional renewable energy sources, such as algae. Redevelop old, contaminated central-city sites. Add shade downtown.

A lot of the pieces are familiar. But this is the first time they’ve been pulled together. And they’re doable, with firm roots in ASU research and the real world, says Rob Melnick, executive dean of the Global Institute of Sustainability.

All are in varying stages of being close to “shovel ready” – a key qualification as agencies in the Obama administration evaluate projects for billions of dollars in competitive grants.

Indeed, it was the opportunity for federal funding that spurred Green Phoenix as a comprehensive plan.

Some parts of the project, such as accelerating a rail connection to Sky Harbor International Airport, depend on federal dollars.

But Green Phoenix must be more than a mechanism to tap federal economic-recovery dollars.

Here is a chance to make the Phoenix region – because the effort must be Valleywide – a model and a leader in the sustainable strategies that cities around the world will have to consider. Retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency. Reusing water. Offsetting the buildup of urban heat. While making our own region more livable, and ultimately more affordable, we can also develop expertise, products and services to export.

This is not an easy time for city staff to tackle sweeping projects. Resources are limited, employees are stretched. That makes it doubly important to establish priorities and develop concrete ways to measure progress.

Now, when there’s little development pressure, is a good time to revise city codes and regulations to encourage cutting-edge ideas. Departments should identify and eliminate bureaucratic barriers, work out turf issues and make sure everyone is on the same page.

Besides ASU, the city needs to develop partnerships with businesses, non-profits, professional associations and trade groups.

Ambitious, grandiose plans are nothing new in this desert city, where people come to remake their lives and fortunes. The question is whether they become reality or evaporate faster than a puddle in July. With focus and effort, Green Phoenix can sprout and flourish.